Tomodachi
by chichamunkyhead
Summary: It's just a short... a short story. Set around the time Mimi leaves for America. Hint of Sorato and Michi.


Tomodachi  
  
Disclaimer: OK, now, I think we all know the drill people. I own all of two dollars. THAT'S IT! This (Digimon), obviously, isn't mine; it belongs to a bunch of people who are very rich... VERY RICH INDEED!   
  
OK, this one was inspired because of... personal occurrences, recently.  
  
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I think we all kind of knew this day would come. It was sad. When we all first found out about it, I could tell it was a big group letdown. We all just kind of sat around for a while after she told us. It wasn't exactly a big tear-fest, for a few minutes, at least. I think our eyes got dry before they got wet again. I remember...  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
I remember she sat there for the longest time, not moving...  
  
Not talking...  
  
Not blinking...  
  
Just staring. Staring at her friend who would soon be an ocean away.   
  
It was almost like I could feel what she was feeling. She didn't know what to do. Of course, we were all shocked for a while, but...  
  
She took it the hardest.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
She's standing by the window right now.   
  
It's raining.  
  
Dried rivers of tears stain her face, the rosy cheeks glossed over from attempting to wash these rivers away. Her eyelashes stuck together with the salty sadness that wept through all of us. And her eyes...  
  
Her eyes had no life in them.  
  
Her eyes, which once held the fires with the intensity of a thousand suns... now sat in a dying ember of emptiness. It was as if the rain and her tears washed out this fire. With it went her happiness. Her usual cheerful smile was thrown out the window; the indifference of temporary depression hazed over her once joyful grin that could turn anyone's frown upside-down.   
  
I had never seen her like this.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
I think we all did our share of comforting, moping, depressing with each other. Talking, reminiscing, ... just doing anything, for now, to hang onto the past few years spent with each other. She always looked so sad whenever we brought up a happy time we had all shared in the Digital World. Fresh batches of hot tears poured over her eyes, dripping onto the knees of her pulled-up legs. She never really reacted to what we said, other than crying.   
  
If we called her name, we needed to call it a few more times to get her to acknowledge us. And then she would look at us like...  
  
Like it would all end at the moment she stepped onto the plane.  
  
But I knew it wouldn't.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Yamato's and my father drove us all to the airport. It was raining that day, too. She stared out the window the entire time. I sat right behind her, wondering what she was thinking. I always thought I could be there for her, to just be her shoulder to cry on...  
  
But I guess my shoulder wasn't big enough this time.  
  
I don't even think she told her mother of what happened. She probably plastered on a fake smile if she was around, and tried to act as if nothing happened. Her mother probably caught on; she always knew her mother wouldn't be fooled. Her mother knew better, though.  
  
Mimi sat next to her. She refused to sit in the car her parents were driving; she was too attached to all of us.  
  
I pretended as if I didn't know this, but their hands were clasped together as if some tornado would suddenly rip through the airport. They weren't looking at each other.  
  
And she began to cry again...  
  
Their favorite song came on the radio. I knew it was so, because every time it would come on, she would call me, and sing the entire thing for me. Although she thought she sounded particularly bad, it was like music to my ears. At this one party, one time, that all of us were at, the song came on, and she was dancing like hell to it with Mimi. I'll never forget that. It was probably the happiest I had ever seen her...  
  
But now her happiness... faded. It was like blowing out a candle. Everything was so bright and shiny to her once. Now...  
  
I saw her the other day. She invited me over. It was the day after we heard the news of Mimi moving. She sat at their dining room, a cup of tea sitting in front of her. Old flowers hung heavy in the vase at the center of the table. Her door was open; she obviously didn't fee like moving at all, nor did she move once I entered the apartment. I sat down across from her. I watched her for what seemed like hours, but was merely minutes. Finally...  
  
A single tear fell from her right eye, and landed on the table. She gently pushed the tea away from her, then put her arms on the table and sobbed into them. I came around her, wrapped my arms around her... and she cried. I took her into an embrace... funny; I'd hugged her before, but never really like this. She held so tight to me, muffled cries emerging from my shoulder. After, again, for what seemed like hours, I slowly began to cry with her. I rested my head on her shoulder as well, closing my eyes and rubbing my hand soothingly on her back.  
  
She finally began to quiet down, relaxing in my arms. I lifted my head to see her looking back at me, her eyes swollen with crying. Then, they disappeared behind tightly closed eyelids. She rested her forehead on my chest, letting away any stray sobs. I slowly lead her over to the couch, and she lay down, closing her eyes. I sat down next to her, and turned on the TV. She didn't let go of my hand...  
  
I think it was worse today. Today, yesterday... the other day... what's the difference? It's been raining for weeks now... Today, she wouldn't even answer the phone when I called her and told her to meet everyone in the courtyard so we could drive to the airport. I finally had to go up there, beat on her door for a while until she answered it. I knew she'd been awake all night crying. I could tell; her hair was mussed, and all she was wearing was a sweatshirt with the neck cut off and some cropped sweatpants. I hugged her after standing in her doorway for a while.  
  
"I don't want to go today."  
  
"But you still have to say goodbye."  
  
"I don't want to say goodbye..."  
  
"Then just say..." I couldn't exactly think of what to say at that point. "Just say... 'See you in the Digital World.'"  
  
I think she laughed at this remark. I couldn't really tell; she had been crying so much lately, and I had heard her laugh for so long, that I couldn't tell the difference. She told me she'd go and take a shower, and would be down in a few minutes. I answered, saying that I'd stay up here just to make sure she wasn't trying anything funny. I think she laughed again.  
  
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We all filed out of the cars. They both clung together like a static attraction existed between them. I watched both of them carefully walk through the airports like two lost dogs. They wandered all over, Mimi keeping an eye on her father so they'd know where to go... and she just... didn't exactly walk in any particular direction. I saved her once from walking into a pay phone. She brushed me off, then joined Mimi's side again.   
  
When we reached the gate, they both sat down together, not looking at one another, or me, or any of us. Just looking at the floor peacefully.  
  
"Are you sure she's ok?" Yamato had recently grown concerned over her. I didn't know whether he liked her or not, nor did I really care at that point.   
  
"I think she's fine..." My answer was... kind of off-key. I don't think I sounded like myself right there, and I think Yama caught it. He didn't say anything, though.  
  
I soon felt a little thirsty. I asked her if she wanted anything; only a bottle of water. I offered Mimi, who declined. Yama came with me, both of us walking a little slowly and not talking for a while.  
  
"I don't think she's ok," he suddenly stated.  
  
I answered a bit quickly. "Well, if you don't think, you shouldn't talk."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Betsuni. I'm probably just mad, that's all. I'm worried about her too, you know. Out of all the years I've known her, I've never seen her this depressed. Even when she and her mother would fight. But I know her. She's a fighter; she'll be ok."  
  
"I wish I could have known her for as long. There's so much... so much..."  
  
"So much to know, that not even I know all of it."  
  
"Does she?"  
  
"She probably does."  
  
"No, I mean Mimi..."  
  
"Oh... Considering their bond... probably. They're girls... They're much stronger, emotionally."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
I watched as she slowly drank the water. She hadn't moved since I left, nor did Mimi. I recalled that she never really talked to me since Mimi told all of us. I later found out that they spent most of those days on the phone together, gathering up every bit of information about each other that the other could give. At the moment, however, I didn't know that they knew each other so well that nothing really needed to be said about them. I really didn't know they were that good of friends. But I guess some things you just can't tell, right?  
  
She sighed. And then the flight was called to start boarding. They both stood up simultaneously, walking over to the boarding gate. They faced each other, beginning to cry again. I stood behind her, just there if she needed any support.   
  
Jyou said his goodbye.  
  
Then came Koushirou.  
  
Takeru gave her a teddy bear, apparently something he had kept since age two.  
  
Hikari hugged her like she was a long-lost sister, sniffling as she did so.  
  
Yamato was the stoic one of the group. I knew he was sad as he said goodbye, but he really made no effort to let anyone know he was sad. We all knew he was. Mimi said something to him I didn't hear that made him laugh. At least she broke him.  
  
She hugged me for a little longer, although we didn't know each other that much. I felt as if there was some common bond there that hadn't really been established, but I guess I'd work on that later. Little did I know would it develop into... Well, enough about that.  
  
Mimi then came back to home plate. "I'm going to miss you."  
  
"I know. I'm gonna miss you too." I could barely hear her; her voice was so spent from crying that it was merely a whisper now.  
  
They looked at each other for a few seconds, idle tears falling down their faces. And then came the dramatic hug that seemed to strike us all. As if this hug affected each of us, and not just the two sharing it. I could feel something grow in my heart, as if something was getting stronger, and it hasn't really changed since.   
  
The final boarding call came on. Mimi's parents chided her to get on the plane, that they would be late. She finally let go. Mimi smiled at her, telling her that she'd write, email, do anything to stay in contact.  
  
"I'll go to the Digital World."  
  
"Me too." Mimi choked back another sob as she turned around, walking to her parents' outstretched arms. She walked between them down the little hallway, their arms resting around her back.  
  
As soon as Mimi faded out of sight, she began to step slowly towards the door. I grabbed her hand before she could get any farther than two steps, and told her it'd be ok. Her head drooped down, and I could tell she was crying again. She turned around, and walked to me slowly, hugging me, sobbing into my shoulder.   
  
Everyone then came around for a big group hug. It was like we were all crying at the same time inside.   
  
I think it was Jyou who finally told us it was time we should be leaving. Everyone slowly removed themselves from the group, Yamato and I keeping comfort around her.  
  
"Come on, let's go home."  
  
I took her hand, Yamato holding her other, as the three of us walked out of the airport together. We all sat in one row of the van, listening to her trying to muffle her sobs. She leaned over, her elbows on her knees, as she began to cry harder. Yamato's hand was entangled in both of hers; he leaned with her. I smoothed my hand over her back countless times, trying to make her feel better. I could finally tell she was calming down.   
  
She sat up again, letting his hand go and clearing the tears from her face.  
  
"It's going to be ok, you know..."  
  
"I know," Sora stated. She was watching a plane that had just entered the sky, a small smile spreading across her face after a few weeks of frowning.   
  
"It'll all be ok."  
  
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OK, this isn't my usual. At all. I just decided to write it after a friend told me they were moving half way around the world. I always wanted to write a fic where Mimi leaves. I guess I just never got around to it. Ne, mina; I'm going to be gone this Friday. I won't be back until the 16th of July. Man, that's a long time... Well, I guess this was just my last little... hoohaa before I go. I'll try to get another out cause I have so many ideas. Anyway, I'll see you all later, and I hope you enjoy. BTW, this was in Taichi's POV.  



End file.
